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Smart and Controlled-release Hydrogels for Fertilizer and Pesticide Delivery: A Comparative Review of Synthetic and Bio-based Systems
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This review paper compares "smart" gel materials that could replace traditional fertilizers and pesticides by releasing them slowly and precisely, cutting down on runoff into our water supply. Plant-based gels break down naturally and are safer for the environment, but synthetic gels—while working better—can stick around in soil and contribute to microplastic pollution, a growing concern for human health since these tiny plastic particles can end up in our food and water. The research suggests combining both types could offer the best of both worlds, though more real-world testing is needed before these products hit farms at scale.
Global food security depends increasingly on the efficient use of agrochemicals, yet conventional fertilisers and pesticides are characterised by poor nutrient and active-ingredient use efficiency, with substantial losses through leaching, volatilisation, and runoff. Hydrogel-based delivery systems have emerged as a versatile platform for controlling the release of nutrients and crop-protection agents in response to environmental and biological cues, offering a route towards reduced input loss, improved soil water retention, and lower ecological burden. This review critically compares synthetic polymer hydrogels, principally based on polyacrylamide and polyacrylate chemistries, with bio-based systems derived from polysaccharides, chitosan, and proteins, with particular attention to their swelling behaviour, release kinetics, and agronomic performance. Stimuli-responsive or "smart" hydrogels that modulate release in response to pH, temperature, light, redox potential, or enzymatic activity are examined as a distinct and rapidly advancing subclass applicable to both synthetic and bio-based matrices. The review further considers comparative loading capacities, release efficiencies under simulated soil and aqueous conditions, environmental fate and biodegradability, and the practical and regulatory barriers that continue to limit field-scale adoption. While synthetic hydrogels generally offer superior mechanical robustness and tunable release profiles, their persistence in soil and association with microplastic accumulation raise legitimate environmental concerns. Bio-based hydrogels, by contrast, offer biodegradability and lower toxicity but often suffer from batch-to-batch variability and weaker mechanical performance. The review concludes that hybrid and composite formulations, combining biopolymer matrices with engineered nanoscale reinforcements or stimuli-responsive moieties, represent the most promising direction for reconciling release precision with environmental compatibility. Persistent gaps remain in long-term field validation, standardised release-testing protocols, and life-cycle assessment, which together constrain confident scale-up of these technologies.
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Techniques for encapsulating slow-release fertilizers using smart polymers: Towards controlled and sustainable release of plant nutrients: A review
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This review paper looks at "smart" fertilizer coatings that release plant nutrients slowly and only when crops need them, instead of dumping it all at once, a shift that could cut down on chemical runoff into rivers and groundwater. One catch worth noting: many of these coatings are made from plastic, which can break down into microplastics in soil, so the researchers highlight the need to switch to plant-based, biodegradable alternatives (like cellulose or chitosan) to keep this "smart farming" approach truly environmentally and food-chain safe.
Advancements and challenges in controlled-release fertilisers: An approach to integrate biopolymer-based strategies
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This review examines controlled-release fertilizers, which are designed to deliver nutrients to plants gradually, and finds that many use synthetic polymer coatings that can leave microplastic residues in soil. The authors highlight biopolymers made from natural materials like chitosan, cellulose, and starch as promising alternatives that can biodegrade without contributing to plastic pollution. The shift toward biodegradable fertilizer coatings could help reduce a significant but often overlooked source of agricultural microplastic contamination.
Controlled-Release Fertilizers: Innovations, Challenges, and Practical Applications
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This review paper looks at "slow-release" fertilizers designed to feed crops more efficiently while cutting down on runoff that pollutes water supplies. The catch: many of these fertilizers are coated in plastic to control how nutrients release, and that coating can break down into microplastics that end up in soil, water, and potentially our food. The researchers highlight promising plant-based and biodegradable alternatives being developed, but note more work is needed before these safer options are ready for widespread farm use.
Polymeric Hydrogels in Agriculture: Environmental Performance, Sustainability Challenges, and Future Perspectives
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A review assessed the environmental performance and degradation behavior of polymeric hydrogels used in agriculture as soil moisture-retaining agents. The study raises concerns about whether these materials break down safely or contribute to microplastic accumulation in farmland soils.
Biodegradable Alternatives to Synthetic Polymer Coatings in the Production of Controlled-Release Fertilizers
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Many fertilizers used today are coated in plastic to slowly release nutrients into soil, but that plastic doesn't fully break down—it builds up in farmland as microplastics that can eventually make their way into our food and water. This review paper looks at plant-based alternatives (made from things like starches, plant fibers, and biodegradable plastics) that could do the same job of slow-release feeding without leaving lasting plastic residue behind. The research suggests these greener coatings show real promise, though scientists still need to test how well they hold up in real farm conditions before they can replace plastic coatings at a large scale.
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